FX-R

(For the theory & see what makes it so special please go to F•X Theory)

Is FX-R II now the the best arm in the World?

(…Perhaps not as fantastic a claim as you might think. Read on)

Funk’s new F•X(pat pend)technology was launched on an unsuspecting public for the first time at the Bristol show in 2008.

Visitors then commented as follows:

” I spent twenty minutes in the Funk room talking to AK and listening to the turntables. He had three Saffires set up, all with Goldring 1042 carts. One had a Naim ARO, one an SME V and the other had the new F dot Cross R arm which is a rewired RB 250 or 300 with their own internally crossbraced spiral wound carbon fibre armtube. It sells for £1,100 which might sound a lot for just a hot rodded Rega but it made the (£2,500) SME V sound pale and anemic and even the ARO (one of my all time favourites) was put in its place…”

The beauty of this program is that this procedure can be done on any Rega RB arm – 250 / 300 / 251 / 301 / 600 / 700 / 900 / 1000.

If you have an existing arm, you don’t have to dispose of it.

By retaining the original Rega geometry, new armboards are not required.

Q2:

Is FX-R available as a 12″ arm?

FX-R can indeed be customised for use as a 12″ arm. Details on request.

Q3:

“I have an LP12. The geometry is not compatible and I don’t have an Ittok”.

FX-R for Linns is a new configuration. There are two variants. Both are 213mm (Linn geometry). One is with a larger pillar diameter making it a straight drop- in for existing Linn mounts, including Keel. The second has a VTA base to fit an existing Linn armboard.

Available: September 2010.

F•XR II is such a comprehensive re-working of the industry standard Rega arm, thinking of it as merely an upgraded Rega arm does it (F•XR II) a grave disservice.

Think of it instead as a Cosworth Ford or AMG Mercedes and you will begin to understand the transformation.

F•XR II‘s comprises:

Internal PTFE re-wiring

A new precision machined pillar to replace 301’s plastic offering

Good as the original horizontal bearings are, they are uprated to ABEC 7. By reducing friction and hence the load on the stylus.

Gone is the lack of VTA replaced by a sensible VTA adjusting base. This in turn is available in two versions:

Version I is the standard VTA base for use with Funk derived FXR arms.

Version II is designed for use with Rega arms, RB 600 and above, namely those with mounting “wings”, which would otherwise foul the VTA base.

Gone is the lack of grounding, the signal is now protected by a coherently earthed tube

Multiple cartridges can easily be changed by a new simple cartridge mount system.

As standard FXR II’s external cabling is Rega’s cable but it also available with